Front running colt Thinkin’ Big cemented his spot at the top of the Victoria Derby betting with an all the way win in the 2018 Group 3 $350,000 Ladbrokes Classic (2000m) at Caulfield today.
Thinkin’ Big, above, was an all the way winner in the 2018 Ladbrokes Classic at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Sydney based jockey Tim Clark bounced Thinkin’ Big straight to the front and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained three year old was never headed in the run to the line.
Thinkin’ Big ($3.80) had all the other runners off the bit on the home turn and when Clark released the brakes, the High Chaparral colt careered away to record a three lengths win over his nearest rival.
The Mike Moroney trained Chapada ($10) tried hard in the straight to find second with Sikorsky ($8) running home for third.
The Darren Weir trained Extra Brut was sent out as thee $2.30 favourite but was under pressure on the home turn and failed to make any impression in the straight to finish sixth.
Thinkin’ Big is now the $4 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Group 1 $2m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 3 and Waterhouse hasn’t ruled out running the colt in the Group 1 $7.3m Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 6.
“He is such a talented colt,” Waterhouse said.
“He is such a beautiful horse, he has a lovely turn of foot.”
“We will sleep on it tonight, we have a few days and we don’t have to make up our mind immediately. We will just see how he comes out of today.”
“He will stay all day.”
Thinkin’ Big is still included in the nominations for the Melbourne Cup and has halved his price to be marked at $51 for ‘The Race That Stops A Nation’.
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